Replacement: Yankees sign another offseason contract league deal
The New York Yankees are striving to reclaim first place in the American League East from the Baltimore Orioles. With the July 30 trade deadline approaching, general manager Brian Cashman is seeking roster improvements. One potential target is San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic identified four third basemen the Yankees might pursue due to their inability to rely on veteran DJ LeMahieu. Chapman, who signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Giants this past offseason, is among those options.
Kirschner noted that since Chapman could become a free agent after this season, his acquisition cost would be lower compared to players like Isaac Paredes, making him an appealing target for the Yankees if the Giants choose to sell.
Chapman has the option to opt-out at the end of the season and re-enter free agency. He is currently batting .234/.320/.409 with 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 65 runs scored in 412 plate appearances for San Francisco.
How Chapman Would Give the Yankees an Upgrade at 3rd Base
While Chapman’s offensive stats aren’t extraordinary, they significantly outperform what DJ LeMahieu has produced for the Yankees in 2024. LeMahieu’s season started late due to an early stint on the injured list, and he has struggled since, posting a .177/.270/.202 line with no home runs, 11 RBIs, and 11 runs scored in 142 plate appearances. Even if Chapman’s offensive numbers remained the same after a hypothetical move to the Bronx, he would still represent a considerable upgrade for New York.
Defensively, Statcast’s Outs Above Average (OAA) metric rates LeMahieu (five OAA) higher than Chapman (zero OAA) this season. However, Chapman has historically been a superior fielder, evidenced by his four Gold Gloves and two Platinum Glove Awards, the latter recognizing the best defensive player in each league.
Another advantage of targeting Chapman is his durability. Except for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he has played in at least 145 games each year since 2018 and is on track to maintain that streak in 2024.
Will the Giants Be Sellers at the Deadline?
Despite making significant moves in the offseason, the Giants entered July 21 with a disappointing 47-52 record. However, they were only 3.5 games behind the final National League Wild Card spot.
Chris Kirschner noted, “The Giants are over the first luxury tax payroll threshold and gave up multiple draft picks to sign Chapman and Blake Snell, both of whom had qualifying offers attached. Their main executive, Farhan Zaidi, is under intense pressure. While this suggests the Giants could become buyers at the deadline, they are currently eighth in the National League Wild Card standings. The smartest move might be to recoup assets for a team that isn’t contending.”
Kirschner also mentioned that Chapman would attract considerable interest due to his track record and the likelihood that he will opt out of his contract in November. What Zaidi and his team decide to do at the deadline will likely depend on their performance in the coming days.
On KNBR’s Tolbert & Copes show on July 11, Zaidi shared his thoughts on the team’s future. “We’re 4 games under .500. Overall, it’s been a real disappointment. We pushed a lot of chips in with this team. We need the players to show what the right direction is for us,” he said. “If we keep playing like we did for the last 5 days, we’re going to have to think about selling and seeing some younger players.”
San Francisco’s plans before the July 30 deadline remain uncertain. If they decide to sell, the Yankees should at least inquire about acquiring Chapman.